Re-usable online learning materials: pipe-dream or reality?

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• Re-usable online learning materials pipe-dream
  or reality?
• Julie Watson and Vicky Wright
• jw17_at_soton.ac.uk vmw_at_soton.ac.uk

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Overview

• eLanguages at Southampton
• The development of re-usable learning objects
  (RLOs)
• The first generation of LOs
• the concept of re-usability and repurposing
• design processes
• Application
• Evaluating their role summer presessionals 2004
• Findings and future design
• Conclusion

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eLanguages

• Consortium of 6 UK universities led by
  Southampton
• Funded to develop e-tutor supported online
  English for Academic Purposes (EAP) modules
  (IELTS 5.5-6.5)
• Initially designed for use on newly developed
  learning environment (SUN Systems)

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E-learning material

• Developed in the form of learning objects (LOs)
• LOs are the building blocks for stand-alone
  online modules in EAP and online support
  programs in blended learning environments
• LOs should be designed for use on different
  web-based platforms (e.g. Blackboard, Moodle) in
  both blended and distance modes

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LO design problems

• Designing for online delivery and reusability
• making learning active
• providing scaffolding for student (feedback and
  help)
• writing clear but short instructions
• ensuring consistency of style
• creating context-independent LOs
• choosing a granularity level
• creating LOs as single packages
• maintaining weblinks

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Towards reusability

• Conforming to set of design principles and
  consistent LO style
• Use of customised Dreamweaver toolbar for LO
  creation
• Use of reusable Flash activity types into which
  new content can be inserted
• Ensuring RLOs can be delivered through different
  VLEs

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The customised Dreamweaver toolbar

• Activity boxes
• Help icons and highlights for instructions
• Show/hide buttons (for answers, comments, hints
  etc)
• Glossary and online dictionary links
• Link to gateway page for further weblinks
• Text fields (for student notes, reflections,
  drafting answers etc)
• List menu boxes or radio buttons (for multiple
  choice answers)
• Links to dependent resources (i.e. images,
  Flash, pdf and Word files)

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Reusable Learning Objects

• are context-independent
• aim to achieve optimal granularity
• are activity-based and use multiple media
• - text, audio, video, animation, interactive
  exercises, threaded discussion, real-time voice
  and text chat
• are styled consistently
• are interoperable

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Course design process
Retrieve suitable LOs from existing bank
Design new course
Carry out any repurposing
Create any new LOs needed
Edit and checklist new LOs
Review and revise course structure and content
Create course structure in VLE
Move LOs from working to master folders
Upload LOs to VLE
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Do RLOs have a useful role in a blended learning
environment?

• Summer presessionals
• 4 8 week courses - 208 students 26 tutors
• 194 student questionnaires
• 21 tutor questionnaires
• c.120 references in students learning logs
• How do students use LOs ?
• Are there any design implications?
• 58 observations

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Research findings

• Student response
• Frequency of use (78 made use of learning
  materials once a day to once a week)
• Ease of use (90 found materials very easy or
  easy to use)
• Perceived usefulness (88 found them very
  useful or useful)
• Ease of access (19 chose to access them from 2
  or more locations)
• Tutor response
• - LMs support students independent (non-tutor
  directed) study (81)
• LMs support students lesson-related
  (tutor-directed) study ( 57)
• LMs have a role in lessons (38)

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Implications for future design

• Observations
• Linear v. non-linear approach
• (Single layer LOs allow for diversity of
  approach)
• Variation in level of independent skills
• (More task scaffolding feedback required?)
• Under-use of some linked resources
• (Review training needs and how weblinks are made
  available)

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Integrated use in a blended context

• Observations
• Use of grammar LO /proofreading essay
• Use of communication skills LO/revising oral
  presentation notes
• Use of audio in LO to focus on intonation
  patterns
• Use of LO weblink to concordancer for own
  purposes
• Cross-referencing grammar LO with grammar book

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Conclusions pipe dream or?

• LOs can grow into RLOs
• New contexts of use are possible
• The majority require some degree of re-purposing
  to fit new context of use
• Time and cost savings are considerable
• Repurposing is getting faster
• Development of a learning object repository and
  assignment of metadata to LOs to allow for
  easier retrieval and self-service

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Student and tutor feedback

• Student comments
• I feel this is much more than just useful and
  helpful.
• I want to keep on using the online materials
  after the course please make it possible.
• I very much appreciate the quality of the course,
  the structure of the material and the logic of
  the content.
• Tutor comments
• The materials were useful in addressing the
  specific difficulties students had.
• They have been a real help.
• Would you support the use of the online materials
  if they were available in a future course? Yes,
  definitely.